https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/1769159432-a018b39fbc4539ec29d420b5297848c887d79779d178b7752ae81a3f579b8dc4-d

Wee Cee Fund: Investing in Grassroots Entrepreneurship

Focus

Fund Mandate

Target segment

As the sole SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Fund focusing on India's grassroots entrepreneurs, we offer financial support that ranges from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh. Fund I is dedicated to providing equity-like financing to traditional, yet technology-empowered businesses that demonstrate significant potential for rapid expansion.

Target segment

Our Fund is committed to empowering India's most promising entrepreneurs who also happen to be among the most underserved groups, including women, minorities, and farmers from marginalized communities. These individuals often face significant barriers when starting or growing a business, primarily due to a critical shortage of equity-like financing.

Sector Focus

Target segment

Sector Focus

Our Fund strategically invests in business sectors that capitalize on the unique local competitive edges—be it in the realm of regional tastes, cultural practices, lifestyle habits, or societal norms. These carefully selected sectors not only have a rapid capital turnover but also high profit margins, ensuring that investors receive an attractive IRR.

Two Decades of Meticulous Foundation-Laying

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, "pioneer of livelihood promotion in India", globally renowned social entrepreneur

Sarath Naru Board Member

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

Founder, VenturEast "longest serving VC firm in India" and the driving forcce behind first micro-equity pilot in 2008-2015

Priyanka Chopra Board Member

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

Priyanka Chopra Board Member

Priyanka, Sanjay Jain, and Sandeep Koujalgi from CIIE (IIM Ahmedabad) incubated micro-equity pilot (2020-2025)

Zakiuddin Mohammad Board Member

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

Priyanka Chopra Board Member

Director, Sahulat Microfinance, the "revolutionary interest-free Islamic microfinance in India" headquartered in Telangana

Pranay Bhargava Managing Partner

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

IIT Varanasi, AIM Philippines, CFA Charterholder (USA), 20 years social entrepreneur, 5 years in villages, 4 startups, 1-5X exits

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

Fund manager with 13 years of venture capital and entrepreneurial experience in India and Africa

Parthu Ganga Due Diligence

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

Parthu Ganga Due Diligence

Over 13 years of extensive rural entrepreneurial experience in over 14 states in India, business appraisal expert

20 Member Field Operations Team

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

Parthu Ganga Due Diligence

Over 13 years of experience, co-founded 100+ sector businesses; many first-time entrepreneurs, over 50% females

Advocates for Micro Equity

Vijay Mahajan

Vijay Mahajan, a celebrated figure in the realm of microfinance in India, believes that the mere provision of loans to microfinance customers is not a panacea for the country's employment challenges. He champions the concept of "micro equity"—a form of equity-like financing tailored for small enterprises with a workforce of 10 to 30 people, especially crucial in the startup and rapid growth phases. Embracing this vision, Wee Cee Fund stands as the only Fund in India that offers this specialized financing.

Entrepreneur VT Gangadhar

Who utilized micro equity to establish a cooler manufacturing plant, highlights the inadequacy of loans as a suitable product for startups and growth. He emphasizes the absence of a supportive ecosystem for aspiring first-generation entrepreneurs, underscoring the need for alternative financial instruments like micro equity to foster their success and enable their entrepreneurial journeys.

Entrepreneur Farooq

Discusses the challenges of initiating a business with a loan, including the difficulties he faced in meeting fixed repayments during periods of rapid growth. He highlights the lack of control over cash flows and the limited visibility into the business's profits, emphasizing the drawbacks of relying solely on loan financing for entrepreneurial ventures.

Entrepreneur Sathyalakshmi

Discusses her positive experience with micro equity, highlighting how it has provided a smooth financial journey. She explains that by sharing the remaining profits after deducting business expenses, retained earnings, and personal drawdown, micro equity aligns well with the cash flow volatility of her business.

Zakiuddin Mohammad

Zaki highlights the informal nature of s enterprises and the challenges they face due to the absence of institutional mechanisms for partnership finance and limited financial support from friends and family. Recognizing the need of the hour, he sees immense potential in the micro equity product to address these issues effectively.

Product market fit

Entrepreneur Farooq reveals that his network of fellow entrepreneurs is naturally connecting with the product, and positive word-of-mouth publicity is generating increasing interest among entrepreneurs, resulting in a growing queue of individuals eager to benefit from it.

Entrepreneur Yousuf Khan

He shares the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic when he struggled to meet the fixed EMI payments to the lender, resulting in the loss of his entire capital. He emphasizes that micro-equity could have been a lifeline for businesses, preventing their closure during such unprecedented times.

3-4X growth in business

Farooq, an entrepreneur, highlights the significant growth of 300-400% in sales following the infusion of micro equity financing. He attributes this success to the micro equity product, which enabled him to establish a cross-selling business and capitalize on the increased footfall.

Investment Philosophy

First mindset challenge - Pranay Bhargava

A major challenge we encounter is the lack of trust in the integrity of micro entrepreneurs, leading to a scarcity of risk capital for their ventures. This stands in stark contrast to the tech sector, where significant investments are made in startups. Bridging this gap requires building trust, recognizing the potential of micro entrepreneurs, and facilitating the flow of risk capital into their businesses. By doing so, we can unlock their growth potential and valuable contributions to the economy.

Second mindset challenge- Pranay Bhargava

The second mindset challenge is the lack of trust in the capabilities of aspirational entrepreneurs, especially women. To overcome this, a hybrid model that combines collective and capitalist structures can empower entrepreneurs and maximize the potential of the supply chain. By placing trust in their abilities and giving them control, we can foster innovation, improve market access, and capture value throughout the supply chain. This approach enables collaboration while empowering entrepreneurs to lead and succeed.

Demand supply mismatch - Pranay Bhargava

Micro enterprises require more than just loans to meet their financing needs, particularly during startup and high-growth stages. Risk capital products are crucial to support these entrepreneurs effectively. It is important to acknowledge that aspiring entrepreneurs are not limited to prestigious colleges but are often found in tier-3, tier-4 towns, and rural areas, where they demonstrate significant growth potential. To cater to their requirements and empower them to succeed, we must expand our perspective and develop risk capital products

Need of micro equity - Pranay Bhargava

Micro entrepreneurs have enthusiastically embraced micro equity as it offers a repayment structure linked to their business profitability, fostering a shared risk partnership with investors. The potential for competitive returns and impressive IRR makes micro equity an attractive asset class. However, its recognition as a mainstream asset class requires the support of government ministries and donor agencies to undergo multiple financing cycles. Donors and the government must navigate the initial challenges and incubation process to pave the way for mainstream private equity investments in micro equity over the next 10-20 years.

Wee Cee Fund: Investing in Grassroots Entrepreneurship

Wee Cee Fund: Investing in Grassroots Entrepreneurship

Why, How and What?

Focus

Fund Mandate

Target segment

Target segment

Target segment

Target segment

Target segment

Sector Focus

Target segment

Sector Focus

Two Decades of Meticulous Foundation-Laying

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

Sarath Naru Board Member

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

Priyanka Chopra Board Member

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

Priyanka Chopra Board Member

Zakiuddin Mohammad Board Member

Vijay Mahajan Chief Mentor

Priyanka Chopra Board Member

Pranay Bhargava Managing Partner

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

Parthu Ganga Due Diligence

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

Parthu Ganga Due Diligence

20 Member Field Operations Team

Aarthi Ramasubramanian Venture Partner

Parthu Ganga Due Diligence

Advocates for Micro Equity

Vijay Mahajan

Entrepreneur VT Gangadhar

Entrepreneur Farooq

Entrepreneur Sathyalakshmi

Zakiuddin Mohammad

Product market fit

Entrepreneur Yousuf Khan

3-4X growth in business

Investment Philosophy

First mindset challenge - Pranay Bhargava

Second mindset challenge- Pranay Bhargava

Demand supply mismatch - Pranay Bhargava

Need of micro equity - Pranay Bhargava

Perspectives

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